The present invention is directed generally to displaying information on a video display screen. In particular, the invention pertains to a method of modeling and visualizing sets of many interconnected or interrelated elements in an ordered or related fashion--such as entry connections (i.e., ports) of a local area network.
Recent advances in the computing arts have brought with then an explosion in the uses that can be put to computing equipment particularly in the field of information science. Computing equipment available today provide the capability of gathering, manipulation, classification, storage, and retrieval of recorded knowledge of various kinds and types. The speed and capability of today's computing equipment provides a tool for huge amounts of information storage and retrieval. In fact, relative little computing power (using today's standards) may be needed to systematically collect, catalog, and store huge amounts of information for high-speed, selective retrieval in such diverse fields as banking, law-enforcement, jurisprudence, education, and medicine, to name a few. However, with this capability often brings with it the problem of presenting or otherwise displaying the information, which may often include many interrelated sets of constituent knowledge, in some logical and understandable manner that quickly and easily provides the information needed without time-consuming analysis. For example, in the field of education, a university will develop and maintain a record of each of its students, detailing classes in which the student is enrolled, the times of the classes, classes that have been completed by the student, etc. Similarly, records for each of the university's professors may be kept, identifying the class subjects being taught that semester (or quarter), the times of the classes, and how many and what students are in each class. This information may not be for the current period, but for past teaching periods. Now suppose one would like to see what students share what classes, or what professors share what students during any period of time. Certainly, as is done at present, lists of the professors and their students during the time period in question can be presented for viewing, allowing one to sift through the lists to find what is desired. However, this can be a time-consuming task that may become daunting as the number of lists becomes larger.
Another field in which interrelated pieces of information is often needed and used is in networks in which numbers of data processing elements are communicatively connected. Recent advances in the networking art now permit so-called "virtual" networks to be formed, increasing not only the number of "collections" of interconnected elements or devices, but also the elements included in such collections. Further, virtual network technology provides a "mobile" network in that it is easier to move devices from one collection to another. An example of such virtual network technology can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,823,338 and 5,394,402.
Networks, as is well known, are capable of interconnecting and communicating large numbers of individual data communicating devices (workstations, printers, communication devices, etc.) to one another. However, regardless of size, all networks must have some management. Even small local area networks (LAN) need someone to keep the system functional and up-to-date, including troubleshooting the network should problems occur, and/or assigning user passwords and identifications. As networks become larger, the task of network management can become daunting because of the difficulty of a person responsible for network management to visualize the necessary interrelations between the elements and devices of the network. The task is exacerbated by the explosive developments in recent years in the field of local area (and wide area) networks, providing the communicative interconnection between much larger numbers of data communicating devices than previously.
One recent development that further complicates network management tasks has been implementation of the concept of "virtual" networks. Systems implementing this concept are capable of assigning, on a port-by-port basis, groups of one or more ports (and, thereby, the data communication devices connected to each such port) to one or another of a number of virtual networks. For example, picture a network switch having ports a, b, c, and d that respectively connect to groups of data communicating devices A, B, C, and D by corresponding media segments (i.e., communication links). Each port may be assigned to one of a number of virtual networks. Accordingly, assume ports a and c may be assigned to virtual network VN 1 while the ports b and d are assigned to virtual network VN 2. Thereby the data communicating devices of groups A and C become members of VN 1, while those of group B and D are members of VN 2. Data communication from one member of the VN 1 to another member of that virtual network will be filtered so that only members of VN 1 can "see" that communication while members of VN 2 do not. Conversely, communications between member devices of VN2 are withheld from the devices of VN1.
While the ability to assign data communicating devices interconnected via such virtual network architecture may have a number of advantages, it can impose severe responsibilities upon a network manager charged with the task of keeping track of which device is a member of which virtual network, and of re-assigning members from one to another of the virtual networks.
A twist on such virtual network architecture is the ability to subdivide a virtual network into "workgroups." Ports of a device employing this aspect are assigned to one virtual network and one or more workgroups. Members of workgroups can communicate only with other members of that same virtual network and workgroup. A member of one workgroup can also be a member of another workgroup--of that same virtual network. Members of a workgroup can communicate only with members of that same workgroup. A port can also be assigned membership in several workgroups, in which case data communicating devices connected to that port can communicate to communicating devices of the several workgroups.
It can be seen, therefore, that a person charged with managing such a virtual network architecture, particularly one of any size, may be severely tasked to keep track of what devices are situated where. Such a person's tasks can be made easier if they could visualize or be provided with a displayed model of the network, and use that model to conduct assignments and/or reassignments of network device groups to one or more workgroups as the case may be.